Why the Detroit Tigers Are Exploring Reliever-to-Starter Conversions for 2026

As the MLB Winter Meetings approach, one storyline surrounding the Detroit Tigers continues to gain momentum: the idea that the front office is targeting relievers with the intention of converting them into starters.

At first glance, this might seem counterintuitive given the number of traditional starting pitchers available on the free-agent market. But the more I thought about it,especially with “pitching chaos” from two seasons ago still fresh as a blueprint—the more this trend started to make sense. The signing of Drew Anderson yesterday seems to start the trend.

Before going any further, it’s important to be clear about what this piece is and isn’t. This is not a definitive explanation of the Tigers’ strategy. Instead, it’s an opinion-driven examination rooted in the information we do have. Ever since Chris Brown of TMLR wrote his piece on why the Detroit Tigers “have a pitching problem,” and considering the wave of injuries across the farm system over the past two seasons, along with the rapid graduation of several pitching prospects, I began to wonder if the Tigers’ rumored interest in reliever-to-starter conversions is less surprising than it looks.

I could absolutely be wrong. But based on the data, the injuries, the organizational depth chart, and the patterns emerging from Detroit’s recent decisions, there are several theories worth exploring. What follows is an attempt to apply logic to what we know, to connect the dots using available information, historical precedent, and the Tigers’ own stated priorities as they prepare for 2026.

The Detroit Tigers enter the offseason facing a familiar issue: they simply don’t have enough healthy, MLB-ready starting pitching. According to Chris Brown’s reporting, Detroit has endured a staggering number of pitching injuries over the last two seasons, including 13 Tommy John surgeries since the start of 2023—one of the highest totals in baseball. This has decimated the upper levels of the system and left Detroit with fewer stable starting options than a contending team would like.

Even the major-league rotation, on paper, carries risk. Tarik Skubal is the anchor, but Casey Mize, Reese Olson, and several young arms have either dealt with prolonged injuries or workload restrictions. The Tigers are in a position where they cannot assume 30 starts from anyone not named Skubal or Flahtery. 

Financial considerations also loom. Detroit is unlikely to splurge on top-tier starting pitchers. The front office’s history under Scott Harris suggests a preference for shorter-term, value-based pitching acquisitions rather than long, expensive contracts. If the Tigers are trying to add innings without adding payroll strain, the reliever-to-starter route is one of the most cost-efficient ways available.

Detroit already road-tested a version of this plan in 2024, when injuries forced them into an extended run of bullpen games. The team unexpectedly thrived with this approach, leaning on openers and bulk relievers to cover huge chunks of innings. FanGraphs documented how the Tigers’ bullpen threw more innings than any other team’s that season, illustrating just how heavily they leaned into this model.

Scott Harris even acknowledged that while it’s not ideal for six months, it’s a tool the Tigers are comfortable using when needed. A.J. Hinch also embraced the tactical flexibility, using matchups and sequencing to neutralize lineups rather than relying on traditional starter workloads.

The success of that stretch did two things:

As MLB.com reported at the time, this approach also helped ease younger pitchers into the majors by limiting early exposure. The Tigers insulated prospects by pairing them with openers or using them in shorter, more controlled bursts.

This is not theoretical, it's a foundation the organization already built.

With Detroit’s injury history, and the number of pitchers still building back up—the idea of dividing a starter’s workload among three pitchers is less of a gimmick and more of a necessity. This protects arms like Skubal, Olson, and Mize while still covering 162 games of baseball.

The more pitchers who can reliably give 2–4 innings, the less pressure falls on any one player.

This lines up with Chris Brown’s analysis of Detroit’s thin upper-level depth and ongoing injury concerns. It is reflected on the recent Baseball America's Detroit Tigers Top 10 where for the first time in quite sometime, they do not have a pitcher on the list. 

Hybrid arms give Hinch the ability to tailor pitching plans to matchups, rest patterns, and lineup structure. A reliever with excellent splits can start a game as an opener, followed by a multi-inning arm. Detroit can avoid forcing an inexperienced or fragile starter through the top of the order three times, because they no longer treat that as a requirement.

This is the money-ball portion of the strategy. A proven mid-rotation starter costs upwards of $18–25 million per year. A reliever who might stretch into a starting role costs a fraction of that.

Detroit has already shown a willingness to:

Converting relievers into starters is perhaps the clearest continuation of that philosophy.

The Tigers already have internal examples of hybrid role success:

This aligns with organizational messaging. As Jason Beck noted, the Tigers are comfortable abandoning traditional labels. A pitcher isn’t a “starter” or “reliever”—he’s simply an innings provider.

The Tigers’ ace is entering his prime and—just as importantly—his final years of team control. Detroit needs Skubal healthy for both competitive and contractual reasons.

The reliever-starter strategy allows Detroit to:

Detroit has learned from experience: when they force pitchers to shoulder too much, injuries follow. When they distribute responsibility across the board, the staff holds up better.

Chris's reporting on the organization’s injury patterns underscores why protecting Skubal is non-negotiable.

The Tigers may begin 2026 with something that looks like a hybrid rotation—part traditional, part committee-based. Skubal will still lead the way. But the fifth-starter spot, and maybe even the fourth, could become a revolving door of:

This isn’t chaos. It’s calculated risk management that appears to be backed by data, necessity, and recent organizational experience.

Detroit doesn’t have the starter depth to behave like a traditional staff, so they aren’t pretending they do.

And honestly? That might be the smartest thing they can do right now. The fans want a big free agent name that is out there but at this point, they do not seem to be taken that route.

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